New Driver's License and ID Process

Illinois will be upgrading its driver's license and ID card design with upgraded safety features.

Applicants visiting Driver Services facilities will no longer be issued a new permanent driver's license or ID card at the end of the applicant process. Instead, they will issue a temporary, secure paper document that is valid for 45 days that will serve as an license or ID. (For air travel, Homeland Security will accept the temporary document with the old license or ID for boarding an airplane until the permanent card arrives in the mail.)

The permanent license or ID card will be mailed to your address within 15 business days. This ensures that Illinois IDs are in compliance with the REAL ID requirements mandated by Homeland Security, and also helps prevent identity theft and fraud.

These changes will take place in phases. Beginning May 17, Safe Driver Renewal applicants will receive by mail their new driver’s license with the upgraded security features. Beginning in late June, Driver Services facilities throughout the state will implement central issuance with the new card design. By the end of July, all Driver Services facilities will have transitioned to central issuance.

To see the brochure outlining the changes, please click here. To see the FAQs, click here.